Thursday, November 17, 2011

Police Lieutenant Colonel Somprab, Chief of Kota Baru Police Station in Thailand, took the time to visit the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial earlier this week in Washington, DC.

Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO, Craig W. Floyd, guided Lt. Somprab through the Memorial, telling the history of how it was created and highlighting the construction of the National Law Enforcement Museum, right across the street from the Memorial.

At the conclusion of the tour, Mr. Floyd and Lt. Somprab did an etching of Fred Morrone’s name, located on Panel: 10-W: 23 of the Memorial’s walls. Superintendent of the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey, Fred Morrone was killed ten years ago during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Lt. Somprab was moved by Fred Morrone’s heroism and plans to frame the etching in his office upon his return to Thailand.

Friday, November 11, 2011

When it comes to honoring and remembering the fallen, nobody does it better than the military and law enforcement. The names of 30 brave men and women killed in the line of duty while serving as law enforcement officers, abroad and at home, are engraved on the marble walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.

The line between law enforcement and military service is often blurred. Many veterans of foreign wars turn to policing when they come home. Many police officers are military reservists.

An inscription on the Memorial sums up the meaning of the heroic and selfless deeds performed by law enforcement and military professionals. It reads: In Valor There is Hope. As long as there are men and women among us who are willing to put their lives at risk for our freedom and safety, there is indeed great hope for the future of our nation and our world.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Early this morning, legendary actor and director Clint Eastwood toured the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. As Honorary Chairman of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund and the National Law Enforcement Museum, Mr. Eastwood helps raise public awareness and support for the Memorial and Museum with an informative PSA campaign.

Mr. Eastwood was in town to premiere his new movie, J. Edgar, which examines the compelling life of the first FBI Director, J. Edgar Hoover, portrayed by actor Leonardo DiCaprio. The National Law Enforcement Museum and Warner Bros. co-hosted the film’s DC debut at the Newseum. An event recap and photos are available at http://lawenforcementmuseum.blogspot.com/.

During the tour of the Memorial, Mr. Eastwood was shown Panel: 34-W: 20, which contains the name of Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alan G. Whicher. Asst. SAIC Whicher’s entire protective detail shift was filmed for three months as part of the 1993 movie, In the Line of Fire, starting Mr. Eastwood. Tragically, SAIC Whicher was killed in the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, OK on April 19, 1995. Along with an etching of SAIC Whicher’s name, Mr. Eastwood was presented with a bronze lion statue to take home with him, as a token of appreciation for his support and dedication to the law enforcement community.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Last week, Deputy Minister Aydin, head of the Iraqi Police Service toured the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, DC. Memorial Fund Chairman & CEO, Craig W. Floyd, showed him panels 9-W to 22-W, where the names of 72 officers killed on September 11, 2001 are engraved. Deputy Minister Aydin laid a rose to honor their service and sacrifice.

Deputy Minister Aydin is a law enforcement officer and head of the Iraqi Police Service, which has 300,000 uniformed officers and is the largest police force in Iraq. Three years ago, Honorable Jawad Karim al Bulani, Iraqi Minister of the Interior, visited the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial to lay a ceremonial wreath in honor of all law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

At that time, he remarked that approximately 12,000 Iraqi police and security officers have died in the line of duty. Sadly, Deputy Minister Aydin shared that figure had grown to over 19,000 officers killed since 2003.